Corey Graves Explains Why Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll Involvement Felt Inorganic at WrestleMania 42

Corey Graves believes the backlash surrounding Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll at WrestleMania 42 had less to do with them personally — and more to do with where and when they were inserted into the show.

After Jelly Roll and Pat McAfee got heavily involved in the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton match, the moment sparked debate about whether celebrities belonged in that spot. Now, Corey Graves says the issue wasn’t who was involved — it was how it was done. Speaking with Bill Apter, Graves made it clear that timing played a huge role in how everything was received.

“I truly believe it was the timing of it. I think if there had been a little bit more time to work with… I think if there had been a little bit more time and maybe it had been in a different match.”

According to Graves, fans weren’t rejecting the idea of celebrity involvement outright — they just didn’t want it interrupting a match they had been waiting on for a long time.

“I think Pat and Jelly Roll caught a few strays. I think it was just a matter of people have been waiting for Cody and Randy for so long and they wanted to see that story told and unfold organically.”

He went even further, explaining that the placement made it feel out of sync with the story — comparing it to forcing something into a spot where it didn’t naturally belong.

“You get these other players that don’t necessarily fit. You get a couple square pegs in round holes. I think that was the biggest problem.”

Graves noted that the backlash wasn’t really about McAfee or Jelly Roll specifically — it was about the situation they were put in. He also pointed out that with more build-up, things could have felt very different to the audience.

“I don’t think it was that anybody didn’t wanna see Pat or that anybody was upset that Jelly was involved. I think it was in that particular circumstance. I truly believe that had this begun back at Royal Rumble or at Elimination Chamber, or there had been a little bit more runway, it wouldn’t have felt so inorganic and I think that’s what sort of caused the backlash.”

To drive the point home, Graves said the reaction likely would have been the same no matter who was placed in that role. He contrasted that with how Lil Yachty has been used alongside Trick Williams, saying that pairing works because it feels natural within the presentation.

“I think you could have put anybody in that position and it would have had the same result… it wasn’t a Pat thing, it wasn’t a Jelly Roll thing. On the other hand, you’ve got Lil Yachty… he has fit like a glove in the Trick Williams presentation… he makes Trick Williams a bigger star, and nobody has a problem with that.”

Bottom line, Corey Graves isn’t blaming the celebrities — he’s pointing at the execution, saying the timing and placement made the WrestleMania moment feel forced instead of organic.

Do you think Corey Graves is right that timing was the real issue, or should celebrities stay out of main event matches entirely? Drop your thoughts and let us know.